Fall Series - make or break time
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2011 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open | Preview | 28 Sep 2011
PGA Tour careers are on the line over the next few weeks as many of those at the opposite end of the scale to the thirty golfers who made last week’s Tour Championship fight for survival over what has become known as the Fall Series of events.
The next four events in Las Vegas, San Martin California, Sea Island Georgia and Lake Buena Vista in Florida are the only four events remaining where earnings will count towards the 2011 money list and will therefore play a key role in just how that list will appear in a month’s time.
Not only is survival on the PGA Tour on the line for many but various milestones further up the money list can assist in players getting access to key events next year so there is still a lot at stake despite the fact that the fields are a little weaker than in recent weeks.
This weeks’ tournament, the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children is once again played at the TPC Summerlin, the sole venue for the event since 2008 although the Bobby Weed and Fuzzy Zoeller designed layout joined the group of courses that earlier jointly hosted the event in 1992.
In 2010 the tournament was highlighted by the hole in one that ended the playoff between Jonathan Byrd, Cameron Percy and Martin Laird at the fourth extra hole. Laird was attempting to defend the title he had won in 2009 over Chad Campbell and George McNeil in a playoff.
This year’s field is headlined by Nick Watney who is a resident of Las Vegas and who is by far the leading world ranked player in the tournament. Watney has played this event on six previous occasions recording two top tens in the process. While not at the peak he was earlier in the season Watney’s class will take him a long way this week.
As a result of his victory in this event last year Jonathan Byrd made it to the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii and won there earlier this year. That he made it to the Tour Championship suggests he has continued to play well this season and although he finished last in Atlanta he is still a great chance to successfully defend.
Martin Laird has won and finished runner-up in this event and so the golf course clearly fits his eye. His 12th place finish in Chicago two weeks ago suggests he is not far from where he needs to be to extend his record at the TPC Summerlin.
Chez Reavie has been one of the standouts in recent weeks on the PGA Tour and although his record in this event is poor he has become such a good player that he is likely to turn that around.
John Mallinger has been sharpened by several good finishes on the Nationwide Tour in recent weeks and as a player who finished 3rd in this event three years ago he might be one for longer odds.
Kyle Stanley has played this event just once when 27th a couple of years ago but he has been putting together some good tournaments of late and stands a chance. He was 9th in Greensboro and 10th in Boston which suggests he might be nearing his best.
The Australian contingent is significant in numbers. Michael Sim, Steven Bowditch, Aron Price, Jarrod Lyle, Matt Jones, Nathan Green, Greg Chalmers, Nick O’Hern, Rod Pampling and Steve Elkington all get the chance to improve their standing on the money list.
Cameron Percy is currently first alternate so he might add to the list before Thursday’s opening round although he is also in the field for this week’s Nationwide Tour event.
Of the Australians probably only Greg Chalmers at 103 on the money list is safe as far as retaining his play rights in 2012 with Nick O’Hern at 116 the next best and hoping to retain his position in the top 125 by the end of October.
The others lining up this week also have work to do if they wish to avoid Tour School.
Discuss this article in our forums
